A Wake-up Call
by DrewSaywer
Summary: Just something to fix the mess the writers made of last week's episode. My first fanfic ever. Please let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

It had been three days. Three days since Wade's world fell apart as he watched Zoe Hart walk out of it. He was angry. Angry at her for believing in him more than she should. Angry at George and Tansy for not stopping him before he made the biggest mistake of his life. More than anything, though, he was angry at himself for screwing it all up.

While he hadn't told her, Wade loved Zoe. He'd be a fool not to. She was smart, funny, independent... She challenged him in the best ways possible. She was perfect! Completely perfect for him and he threw it all away for something that meant absolutely nothing to him. He was in a dark place. He was scared shitless and drunk and a little angry at her for making him feel so insecure. But to do that? He didn't even remember what happened when he woke up. He remembered leaving with the girl, but after that, everything was a blur. All he remembered was Zoe crying and the look in her eyes when he told her. Pain mixed with anger and fear. And tears. Lots and lots of tears. He pleaded with her. Told her he was sorry, that it didn't mean anything, that he would give anything to make it up to her. She just sat there with tears in her doe eyes. And then she left.

It's been two days since he saw her. He had been trying to avoid her. He was the reason she was hurting and he didn't want her to see him and be reminded of everything he did. The first couple nights he crashed with Meatball. That was a mistake. All he wanted to talk about was how they didn't win Battle of the Bands. Wade didn't care about that. Nothing mattered too much without Zoe. When Meatball tried to console him by telling him that the other girl was at least super hot, that's when Wade lost it. He stormed out of Meatball's and since George and Lavon were obviously going to be team Zoe (as they should) Wade went to the last place anyone would expect.

"Thanks for letting me crash here, dad. I just need a few days to think things out, find a new place and get outta there."  
Earl looked at his youngest son. His heart just as broken. He knew what it was like to lose the only woman you've ever loved.  
"It's ok Wade. Stay as long as you need. How's the doctor holding up?"  
He hadn't really seen her, but Shelly kept him in the loop. "She's doing ok. Holding it together as best as she can. I didn't expect her to forgive me, but I had hoped that maybe... I'm an idiot. I fucked up, dad. I fucked up big time." Wade didn't do emotions. He didn't wear his heart on his sleeve and he damn sure didn't cry. Yet, here he was: sitting on Earl's couch with tears streaming down his face.  
He and Earl talked for hours. They talked about Zoe and how much Wade loved her. They talked about Wade's mom and how she and Earl fell in love. "She was way too good for me. Smart, beautiful... I remember the first time I saw her. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She was with her friends. I was with mine. I tried to get the courage up to go talk to her, but I was terrified."  
"Weren't you in, like, the first grade?" Wade asked.  
Earl just laughed. "When you find the girl you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with, you just know. Doesn't matter how much money you make, what you do for a living or even if you're 6 years old. When you find the one, you know."  
"I know, dad." Wade said sadly. He had been in love with Zoe Hart since the day she stormed into his house.  
The two men sat there, sad looks on their faces while Earl talked more about the greatest love of his life. Wade had heard all these stories before. When Jacqueline was alive, she and Earl used to talk often about how they met on the playground. Earl's buddy Frank had kicked a ball at the girls and made fun of Earl when he took a little too long to get it back. "Kinsella's got a girlfriend" the other boys used to tease. Earl didn't mind. All the teasing in the world was worth it if it meant he got to play with little Jackie Caulfield.  
When Wade was little, he loved hearing these stories. He might have made faces at them, but his parents truly loved each other.  
"Son, if it's meant to be, it'll be." Wade looked at his dad, eyes full of tears, and told him truthfully "I don't deserve her". Earl just smiled. "Do you think I deserved your mom? She was too good for me. Too smart. Too kind. Too beautiful. Whether or not YOU deserve her, doesn't mean SHE doesn't deserve you". "How does that even make sense, dad?" Earl just laughed. "Trust me, Wade. You'll see. You're good for the Doc. You just gotta hold on."  
Wade was so confused. "What do you mean I gotta hold on? I hurt her! She's crying because of me! She's hurting because of me! She deserves so much better. Much more than I'll ever be!"  
"Just hold on, Wade. Don't let go of her. Just hold on."  
All of a sudden Wade started to feel very woozy. His head was spinning. He could still hear his dad telling him to hold on. "Just hold on, Wade!" But then, the calmness in Earl's voice changed to pleading. His voice got lighter and lighter. All of a sudden, he heard Zoe. "Please, Wade... Just hold on, baby. Please don't leave me!" She was crying and her voice was horse. The room suddenly got very bright. Wade closed his eyes to try to cut out the light. When he opened them, he was in a hospital bed. There were machines all around him and wires and tubes connected to almost every part of his body. He looked down, and there was Zoe. His Zoe. Crying and telling him how much she needed him. How much she loved him.  
"Zoe?" Wade scratched out. His throat was sore and it was barely a whisper, but she heard it. Zoe's head snapped up in his direction. Tears streaking her beautiful face. All of a sudden, her lips were on his. Kissing him. Thanking him for coming back to her.  
"Zoe? What happened? Where am I?" Zoe just looked at him. "Wade, you were in a car accident. You're in the hospital in Mobile." Wade was so confused. "A car accident? W-when? How?" Zoe just started to cry more. "About two weeks ago. You've been in a coma ever since. George, Tansy and I found you on our way back from Battle of the Bands. You were on the side of the road." The tears really started pouring now.  
"On the way back from Battle of the Bands? What about Wanda and Tom's Star Wars wedding? Wanda's crazy mom?" Zoe just looked at him like he was crazy. "Baby, what about us breaking up?"  
Zoe's eyes got big at that. "Wade, what are you talking about. We never broke up!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thank you all for your kind words. This was kind of just an idea I had floating around. I'm not sure how or where it'll end yet, but I have at least the next chapter all worked out in my head. Sorry it took me so long to update. I've had this almost done since Saturday, but I've been tweaking It here and there. Also, I'm doing this all on my phone, so please forgive me if I miss a word here and there. Lol. Here you go. Hopefully, you get what I was trying to go for. **

As she drove along the winding roads, Zoe tried hard to think about what she would say to Wade later that night. She needed to make this up to him. She had arrived at Battle of the Bands to find that not only had Wade lost, but that he left without her. It wasn't her fault that damn bar was so hard to find. She knew he would be mad, but mad enough to leave? Thankfully, George and Tansy offered to let her follow them back so she wouldn't get lost...again.

The Alabama back roads were dark and tricky and she swore they needed more street lights. If this was New York, there'd be street lights. About 15 minutes into their drive home, George and Tansy pulled over and jumped out of their car. Zoe followed suit and as soon as she stepped out of her car, she saw why they had stopped.

She saw the mangled body in the glow of George's headlights. A leg twisted the wrong way, a bloody arm full of scrapes and cuts. She was mentally assessing the damage as she ran to them, but all of a sudden, time seemed to stop. That's when she noticed it: The dirty, bloody flannel shirt. She knew that shirt. Hell, she bought him that shirt.

"WADE!" Zoe screamed, tears running down her face. She was at his side and in Doctor Mode in no time. "Ok, George. He has a pretty nasty cut on his arm right there. Go back to the car and grab a bottle of water. We need to clean the wound out, wrap it with something and try to stop the bleeding. Tansy, get on the phone and call the hospital. Tell them where we are, that he has a broken leg, major lacerations to his arm and probably some internal bleeding. It looks like he got hit by a car and they just took off."

The two just stood there frozen for a second and it took Zoe yelling at them again to snap them out of it. Wade was lying on the ground bleeding in front of them. They needed to act quick. "It's ok, baby. Help is on the way."

Wade's eyes started to flutter as soon as he heard her talking to him.  
"Z-Zoe?"

"I'm here, baby. I'm here. Don't worry. Help is coming. Everything is going to be ok. The ambulance will be here soon. Just hang on, ok? Don't leave me, Wade!" Zoe was pleading with him. She couldn't lose him.

He reached up and cupped her cheek with his bloodied hand. "Z- Zoe, I'm sorry. Please stop crying, baby. I'm so sorry I hurt you. It didn't mean anything. I'll make this up to you." His voice was barely above a whisper and she could tell it hurt him just to talk.

Zoe tried to shush him. "Wade, baby, it's ok. Help is coming. You need to rest. You need to save your strength."

"Zoe, I didn't mean for this to happen. It's all my fault, baby. Its all my fault..."  
Zoe just sat there, staring at him. He was obviously a little delusional, but at least he was talking. How could he think she would still be mad at him for leaving the bar? How could he think getting hit by a car was his fault?

"Shhh, baby. It's ok. Everything is going to be alright, you hear me?"

Wade just looked at her. Saw the pain and the tears in her eyes and simply whispered "I love you, Zoe Hart. Please don't leave me."

His eyes closed again and Zoe knew he wasn't coming back. She worked quickly to check his vitals. His pulse was weak and his breathing labored. All that talking had taken a lot of strength. He'd need all he had for everything that was about to happen.

It took both George and Tansy to calm her down and keep her still in the waiting room. She kept trying to talk to the nurses, the doctors, hell, anyone who would listen at this point. She needed to know how he was. If he was ok. If the internal bleeding was worse than what she had expected. She wasn't family, though, so they couldn't give her any answers.

"Zoe, it's going to be fine. Just sit down. Everything is going to be ok. He's in surgery now. It'll be awhile before there's anything to find out. Just sit down and try to stay calm." George tried to plead with her, but it was hard for her to turn the doctor off and just be the scared girlfriend.

"I can't, George. I just... What if he doesn't make it? I should have been there! God, I should have been there!" Zoe was pacing the floor in front of him now.  
"I was so busy with Tom and Lavon... Oh my God! Lavon! I need to call him! He'll want to be here. Where's my phone? George, help me find my phone." Zoe was panicking and he knew it. She started grabbing at everything they had with them. Her phone was here somewhere. She knew it was.

"Tansy went to call Lavon. Don't worry, Zoe. He will be here soon."

As if she heard her name being called, Tansy rounded the corner just then. Two cups of coffee and a couple bags of chips in hand. "Here Zoe, drink this and sit down, please? It's going to be a long night."

Zoe took the cup and whispered a tiny "thank you" to the blonde, as she took the seat across from George.

"Look" Tansy said. "I hope you don't mind, but I asked Lavon to go to Earl's on his way here. Wade is the only family he has, well, besides Jesse, and Earl deserves to be here, too. Plus, I figured: he's his dad! They have to keep his dad in the loop, right?"

Zoe smiled at that. "Thank you, Tansy. At least now we'll know how he's doing."

It took about an hour for them to get there, but Lavon and Earl finally arrived. Zoe, George and Tansy could hear Earl well before they saw him. As soon as they came into view, Earl flung himself at Zoe and pulled her into a hug.

"Is he ok, doc? What happened? The mayor just said there was an accident and that I needed to come quick."  
Zoe was a little flabbergasted at Earl's display of affection for her. Yes, she knew Earl liked her, but the Kinsella men weren't known for their public displays of affection. Not like this anyway. She ushered Earl the chair she had just been sitting in and took the one next to him.

"We really don't know, Earl. Wade's band lost the competition tonight. I guess he was angry and upset and he just left. He didn't have his car, we were going to ride home together, so I guess maybe he just started walking? I don't know. But then I got there and George and Tansy were kind enough to let me follow them so I wouldn't get lost getting home. That's when we found him." Tears started to well up in her eyes as she pictured his mangled body.  
"He was cut up pretty bad and his leg was definitely broken. There was some internal bleeding, too. But since none of us are family..."

Earl put out his hand up at that. "Just show me who I need to talk to."

With that, Zoe and Earl disappeared to go find a nurse leaving George and Tansy to fill Lavon in on another part of the story.

"He did what?!" Lavon bellowed. "Nuh- uh! Lavon Hayes does not believe for one second that Wade Kinsella would cheat on Zoe Hart. Sure, he's fucked up in the past, but Wade loves that girl. We all know it. Has since the day she got here."

George just looked at his friend and hung his head. "That's what we thought, too. But Lavon, he was in such a dark place. He was drunk and angry and going on about being a failure. Then he took off with some girl..."

"But obviously, he didn't stay with her!" Tansy interjected. "Look, I know Wade better than anyone and he loves Zoe. I don't know what happened with that girl, but they didn't get far. We were what, 15 minutes from the bar? I know Wade and even he couldn't get that far with a girl in 15 minutes."

George looked at his girlfriend. "I hope for Zoe's sake you're right

The next couple hours were crazy. The doctors had worked hard that night to repair the damage the car had done. Besides all the little scrapes and bruises, Wade had some internal bleeding, a punctured lung, a broken leg and a fractured wrist.

Once they got him out of surgery and stable in his own room, that's when the flood gates of visitors seemed to open. Everyone came to show their support for Wade. Lemon and Brick, Dash, Tom and Wanda, Mr. Maynard... Zoe was in and out of his room trying to make sure everyone got their privacy, but also wanting to check in on Wade to make sure she was ok. Most of the conversations were the same. Everyone told him they cared about him and to wake up soon.

Zoe accidentally walked in on Meatball talking about some "smokin hot girl from the bar" but he quickly changed the subject to losing the competition when he saw her. He was such a weird guy. She figured she should give them their space, though, and walked down to the cafeteria to grab some lunch.

When Zoe returned, she found Shelly at Wade's bedside. She hadn't planned on eavesdropping, she meant to turn around and walk away, but when she heard Shelly say her name...

"Zoe loves you, Wade. She's doing ok. Holding it together as best as she can, but you need to wake up soon, ok? I don't think Zoe'll ever forgive you if you leave her." Shelly gave him a sad laugh then and Zoe appreciated the pass at humor. She knew Wade would have smiled at that... if he were only awake. She decided to let them be and walked away as Shelly started talking about Tom and Wanda's proposal and how they wanted to have a Star Wars themed wedding. Zoe could just picture Wade rolling his eyes.

The next week and a half was a blur. Both Zoe and Earl had refused to leave Wade's bedside. The first few days, they took turns sleeping. Neither wanting Wade to wake up alone. After about the fifth day, they realized Wade was a stubborn man and wouldn't wake up until he was good and ready. So they stopped killing themselves and went back to a somewhat normal sleeping schedule. They'd stay up late playing cards or doing puzzles, and when that got old, Earl would tell Zoe stories about Harley, about Wade as a kid and about how he and Jackie fell in love.

"First grade? You and Wade's mom fell in love in first grade?!" Zoe was dumbfounded. Who found the love of their life in first grade?

Earl just smiled at the petite brunette. He was used to people acting that way when he told them about how he met Jackie.

"Doc, when you find the girl you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with, you just know. Doesn't matter how much money you make, what you do for a living or even if you're 6 years old. When you find the one, you know. I knew the first time I saw her that she was the one I'd spend my whole life loving. I've always thought maybe that's why God took her from me so early. We got a head start on our love. Most people don't get that..." Earl trailed off then and Zoe could see the pain in his eyes. "You love my boy a lot, don't you, Doc?"

Zoe was caught a little off guard. She and Wade had only been officially together for a few months. She hadn't even told him how she felt.

Earl saw the deer in headlights look and just smiled. "I'm guessing you two haven't told each other how you feel yet." It was more of a statement than a question and Zoe was grateful for that. She knew how she felt and she was pretty sure she knew how he felt, but there was always this constant nagging feeling. Like maybe he would wake up one day and decide he was bored. Zoe laughed a little bitterly at that. All this time she was worried he'd wake up and leave her, now all she could hope for is that he'd just wake up.

She was snapped back to reality right then by Earl.

"He loves you. You know that, right?"  
Zoe just looked at him. Not really sure what to say. So Earl continued.  
"I know I haven't been the best dad, but I know my boys. As much as I had hoped against it, Wade takes after me. Kinsellas love deep. We put up our guards up, sure, and we don't ever believe we're good enough, but we feel things to the bone and then try to pretend we don't. And that boy right there" he said motioning to Wade. "I've never see that boy love anything as much as he loves you. And don't you worry. Your secret is safe with me."

"What secret, Earl?" Zoe lied. She knew instantly what he meant.

"That you love him back just the same. Don't try to deny it. You look at him the same way his mama used to look at me."

Zoe just smiled. He was right. There was no point to try and deny it. Zoe was head over heels in love with Wade Kinsella. She just hoped she'd have the chance to tell him that herself.

**Ok. Did you get it? Did it make sense? Basically, all of the conversations Wade had in chapter 1 (the one with Meatball, Shelly telling him about Zoe, everything with Earl, even Wade knowing about Tom & Wanda) were all things he was being told while he was in a coma. He just dreamed them into conversations. :-)**


End file.
